Doctor insights on:
Contraceptive Devices

1

Great options:
The intrauterine device is a small t shape item placed inside the uterus. There are 3 approved iuds in the us. Mirena (levonorgestrel) can last up to 5 years and contains a small amount of Progesterone giving you the benefit of light or no periods. Skyla is a smaller 3 yr version of mirena (levonorgestrel). Paragard lasts 10 years and is hormone free. All are safe, highly effective, well tolerated & popular options.
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Also known as contraception, birth control is a method to prevent pregnancy. Some methods of birth control include a vasectomy, tubal ligation, oral contraceptive pills, vaginal rings, hormone injections, condoms, diaphragms, sponges, intrauterine devices, and implants.
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2

That is up to:
You, please make an appt to see your gyn and discuss with your gyn and if you are still ovulating at your age you may want to consider in office essure tubal, easy takes 5 minutes in my office , no cutting , covered by insurance, u are awake, miss 1/2 day of work , is permanent though.
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3

It works better:
Emergency contraception is for emergencies. It can only be used once a month effectively. It also isn't as effective as a regular pill at preventing pregnancy. It shouldn't be used for contraception. Best wishes!
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4

Abstane:
The only legitimate so called natural family planning is abstinence. Rhythm is really not a method... It is russian roulette. Modern birth control is both safe and effective. Fear of it is not needed in reality.
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6

Best if no delivery:
The sponge is more effective for women who have never given birth.
If women who have never given birth always use the sponge as directed, 9 out of 100 will become pregnant each year.
If women who have never given birth don't always use the sponge as directed, 12 out of 100 will become pregnant each year. 20/100 and 24/100 if previously given birth vaginally.
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8

Great question!:
They overlap in function, but also achieve separate goals. Also, pills have some risks for long-term health. Stds are not avoided by the pill. Pills are a bit more effective against conception. If possible during years that you do not want a baby and might have more than one partner - using both (correctly!) is a great idea. I'm impressed that you care enough to ask - thank you on behalf of others.
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11

No more than cyclic :
Taking OC's continuously poses no more danger than taking them in a cyclic fashion. Most women eventually have some irregular bleeding when they use them continuously. I recommend taking a 4 day break every 3-4 months at a convenient time to try to prevent this. The OC's must be monophasic- all the same dose. They must be taken continuously for at least 21 days- then they can be stopped anytime.
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12

Not 100%:
With proper application technique & consistent (100%) use of condoms for each episode of vaginal intercourse there is a 2%/ year pregnancy rate. With an average degree of compliance there is a 15%/ year pregnancy rate.
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14

Yes and yes:
While there have been specific manufacturer recalls of various leads and devices, overall implantable cardiac defibrillators are among some of the safest medical devices implanted. They are extraordinarily effective at terminating the potentially fatal heart rhythms they are implanted to treat.
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15

What is regular?:
Oral contraceptives are one of the most effective means of contraception. For most healthy women, they are a safe choice compared with alternatives for birth control. Condoms are still the best protection against std's.
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18

Someone:
Who can't use or does not want to use pills, or hormonecontraception, most of my pts do not like the sponge, but it works well for some people who don't mind putting it in before intercourse and then removing it at the appropriate time after.
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19

Depends :
It depends on what you mean by "safe"--using a diaphragm causes no hormonal side effects, but has a higher risk of pregnancy, and pregnancy has lots of side effects. For 100 typical couples relying on a diaphragm for birth control, 12 will be pregnant by the end of a year.
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20

Doesn't prevent stds:
As a contraceptive, the sponge has a high single event contraceptive rate, but as a long term strategy is associated with a fairly high failure rate (approx 20% over a year's time ). The sponge is not a reliable barrier to stdtransmission.
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